NH Chapter 20
CRITICAL DISCLAIMOR: to the difficulty of language used by the Denotators, if unable to understand what has taken place, please wait for Chapter 21 where the various subjects will be discussed in further detail. That is to say, not in the broken English that the Denotators speak. To defend the choice to have them speak as they do, they had very little human contact until the age of 20, mostly learning how to verbally speak on their own, the Royal Denotator actually not speaking a single word, rather voicing what he is told, thus having almost no ability to restructure his sentences into anything legible. As I defend my position, the way that both Denotators speak in this chapter is INTENTIONAL Canon, and is not representative of a grammatical drop of quality. Characters outside the Denotator duo will continue to speak normally, though with hints of distinct word choice that falls in line with their character development. I thank you for your understanding. Hero - Chapter 20 (??) “This one?” (?) “No..” (??) “This one.” (?) “No, not that one either..” (??) “Ok, how about this one, it looks really cute.” (?) “But not on me though…” (??) “Ok…, oh, what about this one? I got it as a gift a few weeks back from one of the merchants in Ren.” (?) “Pretty, but it doesn’t really fit my color sense, ya know?” (??) “Oh you… pick one then.” (?) “Hmmm… I do kind of like this one…” (??) “In the end… simple really is your thing isn’t it? Couldn’t you ever just branch out a bit?” (?) “Ya, sorry that you ended up having to pull out so many…” (??) “I don’t mind, I got to see you try on so many different colors. It really has been a while since I could pick dresses out with someone else.” (?) “I know what you mean, this has been great to settle my nerves a bit.” (??) “What do you-” *Knock Knock* The sound of a large door being knocked on resounded through each room, reaching the ears of the two. (?) “You should probably go see who it is, especially with what’s been going on the last few days. I’m still rather underdressed too.” (??) “Ya, I suppose we’ve taken a bit too long, hurry and put it on then do your hair real quick, we have places to be soon.” (?) “Yep, yep. I’ll be out in a minute or two, this dress goes right on anyways.” (??) “Don’t take too long.” (?) “What are you, my mother?” (??) “I know you better than your mother, so don’t even think about doing that thing with the shoes again… It took you twenty minutes just to pick out the same exact shoes that you wanted in the first place…” (?) “Go, i’ll be right out.” With that,one of the two figures heads out of the room for the source of the knocking, leaving the other to finish getting dressed. As the figure reached the door, she did not open the door, rather she spoke to give permission to enter. She was wearing a shortened lavender dress that ran down to her knees. It was a rather simple dress that made use of several folds and a ribbon fastened around the waist to accentuate the wearer’s figure. The top had no exposed cleavage, and rather followed roughly three inches below the neckline, the left shoulder was covered with a frilled band while the right was fully shown. The dress functioned well and appeared to have been tailored specifically for her body as it kept fittingly. (??) “You may enter.” With the sound of a latch being grabbed and pulled, the door slowly opened. On the other end, several well dressed officials were standing outside the door. In front of these people were two men with golden epaulettes draped on their shoulders and various ornamentations across their person. (??) “To what do I owe the… presence of the Royal Denouncery?” While the name itself holds a rather negative connotation, the Denouncery is a royal organization tasked with the protection, delivery, and presentation of Royal Decrees. The reason for her apprehension was in part due to the events of the day prior to this moment, leaving much in question as to what this Royal Decree could be about, or rather, who it is for. In terms of authority, once given a Royal Decree, not even the High Nobility could risk turning them away. (Count Orlenis) “We have in possession a Royal Decree for both the persons of First Princess Sophia Lovett and the so entitled “Silver Hero” to be presented and carried out immediately. The said individual First Princess Sophia Lovett is your person is it not?” (Sophia) “That is correct.” As she says this, she crosses her arms just below the chestline as she waited for the Denotator to finish. (Count Orlenis) “And it may be presumed that the target des suspicion, the so entitled “Silver Hero” holds her presence within your domain?” (Sophia) “Presumption correct.” (Count Orlenis) “Permission for the Denotators two to enter the domain of a Royal Princess within specified limit.” With a stern face, Sophia replied neutrally. (Sophia) “Limited permission granted, first chamber limitation.” While their speech may seem odd, it is the principal of the Holy Denotator to only speak what is necessary. Excessive words only delay the presentation of the Royal Decree and must be avoided. Sophia finds them rather bothersome with how they force others to speak in the exact same manner. While force is said, they will simply cut one off whenever they don’t reply or speak fast enough, a rather impatient bunch. The purpose of the Holy Denotator is to represent the Royal Denotator. The Royal Denotator is the individual whose entire life is spent and dedicated to carrying the word of the Royal Family. Not a single word is theirs within the entirety of their lifespan. They are the mouth and will of their liege lord, which is why he had yet to speak himself. Denotators must travel with one Holy and one Royal Denotator, escorted specifically by several highly trained High Nobility scribes. The reason access was requested for only the two Denotators was due to the room that the Holy Denotator requested to enter was that of a Royal Princess. The very presence of men within such a room is considered an insult towards an entire family, in this case, the Royal Family themselves. If not for these two individuals carrying the King’s will, no man would ever be capable of entering a Princess’s room. Only female maids are allowed to tend another woman’s room, and only High Noble women are allowed to tend a Princess’s chambers. Not even the King, let alone her brothers, would normally be able to enter a Princess’s chambers short of during an emergency. (Count Orlenis) “Permission accepted, please summon the so entitled “Silver Hero” for directed Royal Decree.” With a nod, Sophia left the room through one of the black doors. After she left, the two Denotators slowly entered the room, but only four feet beyond the door. Once inside, without a single word, the door was closed behind them silently by the High Noble scribes. The reason for their behavior falls upon two distinct reasons. The first pertains to the strict policy regarding the domain of a Princess, which falls into an even more restricted policy of etiquette than the usual woman’s room. The other reason being, that as Denotators, they hold no interest whatsoever in walking into a female’s room or having contact with females. This is, in fact, due to their lack of sexuality or drive in the entirety. They are both eunuchs from the age of six and lacked excessive human contact until the age of twenty. All in the name of serving as the word and voice of the King. It was about two minutes later that the sound of two women’s shoes clicking on stone tiles reached the men’s ears. Two figures came through the door, the first being the First Princess Sophia. She looked the same, though her hair was quickly braided into a single strand and sat on her right shoulder. The other figure, however, was enough to make even the eyes of the two neutral Denotators open, if only slightly. As to why the presence of this woman may spike a reaction from these two, the reason is simple, she was literally glowing. Her skin was smooth and pure, even her dress matched the sheer level of purity as to compliment her being. The purest of white dresses, as if she were a true Maiden of Light. While the actual reason for both the glow and her appearance fell upon natural sunlight being shown down into the room through a complex series of mirrors that serve to light the deeper regions of the Royal Palace, thus reflecting off of the woman’s silver dress, the fact remained that her appearance gave off a slight spiritual presence was undoubtable. Even her face appeared soft and peaceful as her glistening brown hair swayed with every step. Again due to the light hiding the natural appearance of her skin and glistening on her clean hair. If it were anyone but these highly disciplined Denotators, who were already gender neutral, they might have fallen to one knee, or even both, at such a spectacle as this. As the two women approached, the Royal Denotator opened the scroll he had been carrying with both hands. Holding the scroll fully outward with one hand at the top and the other on the bottom, he finally began to speak. (Baron Jeramius) “I come baring decree to such entitled individuals, so unto First Princess Sophia…” As if a prompt, Sophia casually replied, (Sophia) “Accepted.” The Royal Denotator nodded and continued~ (Baron Jeramius) “... and the so entailing ‘Silver Hero’ so dothly exhibited in demonstratorianism.” Slightly puzzled, the other woman, the hero, merely followed Sophia’s lead and repeated what she had said. “..Accepted..” The Royal Denotator looked back to the Holy Denotator with a questioning glance. In truth, what had just been said was a rather rare compliment coming from a Denotator. Sophia had been the one to accept the decree, thus the Royal Denotator was offering a compliment to the hero, stating that the hero’s visage clearly demonstrated her worth for the Royal Decree being presented to her. In simple terms, the royal Denotator was saying that she looked like a true hero, matching both her public title and suiting what she was being presented. So when the hero ‘accepted’ the Denotator’s compliment, the Royal Denotator was rather confused. With a shrug, the Holy Denotator motioned to continue. Sophia, on the other hand, struggled to her limit not to laugh right there and then. Luckily for her, her high level of Kremor etiquette allowed her to hide her emotions and exude a sense of dignity in place of childish demeanor. (Baron Jeramius) “Firstly, the decreed will of the King to in full regard of her highness, the First Princess Sophia Lovett. It is the will of the King that the First Prince Leon shall inherit the throne upon the Royal mortis. As this was presented and accepted in the majority by the varied Heads of State and High Nobility, this succession declaration has been passed into solid law.” The Denotator was informing Sophia that she was disinherited by her own father. While the hero and Sophia had already talked about passing the throne to Leon, neither had thought she would be disinherited! A small sensation of sadness hit Sophia, though she can understand exactly why this happened. She isn’t really ‘that’ Sophia anymore, nor could she ever be again. In this, it was actually the hero who was far more displeased, but kept it to herself rather than needlessly risking or starting anything. Especially if it was already established law. She didn’t have the same level of defiant spirit that she had a few hours past when she believed herself fully backed into a corner. She had become rather relaxed now and didn’t plan to say anything unnecessary to a person only conveying someone else’s decision. (Baron Jeramius) “Thus, upon the so entailed ‘Silver Hero’, the following stations have been awarded or granted..” Wait… what now? Stations..!? Both Sophia and the hero silently stared at one another, then back to the Royal Denotator as he continued. (Baron Jeramius) “Unto the woman entitled as the ‘Silver Hero’ the station of “The Hero of Kremor” has both been formed and formally bestowed. This is in recognition of strength and valor during the Holy Trial, against all odds and peril finding success under the guidance of Light. Said office presents the same social privilege as those of the 6th rank of social status under the Twenty-Two Social Charter. Be it known her upon this day by the direct will of his majesty that the Hero of Kremor shall receive the promotion to the Social Rank of Three, thusly presentable as High Noble Status. In regards to your title, his majesty, the King, has granted you a dynasty to be sown from your blood, the High Noble house of Argat. It was directly wished by his majesty,the King, that the name of Argat is the word known as silver within the Holy Language of the Church of Light. From the Eunimatrical Patriarchal Council, the Hero of Kremor has been recognized as a Saint of the Light, and has also thusly declared said Hero of Kremor as a Prophet. Her station within the church has been thusly set to be second only to the Precapallet, the highest rank of enlightenment under the Charter of Light. From the Stewardship Academy, a certificate of higher learning and achievement has been declared and to be granted to the Hero of Kremor. It has already been notarized by Lord Isaac Kaylock to declare ‘Significance’ of full graduate honors. This itself grants the rank of Fifteen upon the Nobility scale of Scholastic honors and achievement, allowing for a promotion to the 19th rank of upon the Social Charter. The King has also granted the Hero of Kremor the titled Nobility Rank second, the Title of Dutchess, second only to Ladyship. This entitles the Hero of Kremor to hold any or all lands without expectation of tax notational increase demands. Finally, his majesty has bestowed the Hero of Kremor, so entitled the ‘Silver Hero’ with the full demesne of the Isle of Demons. Every inch of territory has thusly been bestowed with full honors with this seal, representative of the Argat family crest so designed by the Royal Herald. A golden seal has been commissioned by the Royal Family to the Royal Smiths and shall be completed within the day. In addition to the bestowed territory, his majesty the King has bestowed a sum total of three thousand golden Kren to supplement the establishment of the Great Argat House’s initial settlements upon the territory known as the Isle of Demons, so located within the Demesne of the great Argat house. This concludes the Royal Decree.” Without another word, the two men left the room, leaving behind two bewildered women. … “What…?” Chapter 20 - END